Multitasking
by Laury the Latrator
Summary: "This is the account of our first kiss, our first time, and our first fight." After Annie's date with Jai goes south, she runs to Auggie. But is he just the rebound guy? Or could they be on the right track for once. Auggie/Annie one-shot. Mentions of sex.


_This is the account of our first kiss, our first time, and our first fight._

It was very late when the knock came on my door. Startled out of my stupor, I sat up from my bed, groggily feeling for my cane by the bedside table. The knock sounded again, this time more insistent.

"I'm coming!" I yelled with my voice raspy from that terrible mixture lack of sleep and exhaustion. Finally able to walk, I quickly made my way to the front of the apartment. Opening the door hurriedly (I get less cautious when I'm tired) I didn't have time to speak before Jo Malone Grapefruit and Kitten Heels stalked past through the threshold.

"Annie?" I asked, turning my head to follow the very angry noise. There was a small poof as, I assumed, she sat heavily on my very old and overstuffed couch. "And now you're in my apartment." I added with my usual wry humor slightly overshadowed by bemusement as I shut and locked the door. Walking to the living room with a small sigh, I took the seat opposite her. She still hadn't said anything, which I knew to be a bad sign.

"So..." I began, breaking the silence. "I take it your date went badly." Annie snarled. Yikes. Normally I'd be thrilled by this turn of events, because to be honest I'd hated this idea from the beginning, but having an extremely volatile woman versed in violence (trained by myself in fact) was not an ideal situation. Especially if she was jonesing for revenge against the male race.

"Ben!" She spat, fury rolling off her in waves. My head tilted confusion before she continued. "It's not enough he left me there now he's making all my other relationships fail!" Ah yes. It always comes down to Sri Lankan whirlwind romance guy. But what this had to do with her date with Wilcox, I had no idea.

"Okay Annie, tell me, what happened?" At my purposefully soothing tone, she seemed to calm down, her once heavy breaths slowing into an almost normal rhythm.

"I don't know, that's the problem. Everything had checked out until tonight! It was the fourth date so... I took him home." My stomach clenched but I said nothing. It was my job to be a friend tonight, not a jealous... whatever. "We sneaked into the guest house, and," She sighed, "It was going great. But I stepped out for a minute to change and when I came back he was... examining this bracelet Ben gave me. I kept trying to brush it off, you know! But Jai... he just kept asking questions. God, it was so subtle I almost wish I missed it!" She stood up and started pacing around the room, truthfully leaving me a little disoriented as it seemed she'd slipped off her shoes. I settled my head onto my hands as I leaned forward, waiting for her to gather her thoughts into coherent sentences.

"It didn't take long for me to get angry. I just threw on my coat and stormed out of there. I..." Her voice trembled. "I yelled at him. I said, 'There's a scrapbook on the shelf, just don't be here when I get back!' I think he was trying to apologize, but I didn't care. I just wanted to get the hell away from him." The seat beside me dipped and her sweet smell reached my senses. I inclined my head towards her new position.

"I'm sorry." I told her sincerely. I heard her sniffle and wipe her nose.

"I just don't understand." And the way she said it, so defeated and helpless, broke my heart. Reaching out, my hand hitting the shoulder closest to me, I slid my arm around her back. Annie curled into my side, one small hand burning through the thin fabric of the T-shirt over my chest. She sniffled again, as close to crying as she was going to get.

"Annie," I muttered to her softly and I felt a shift in where her head lay on my shoulder. "What can I do? Should I go punch Wilcox, 'cause I will... I might miss, but it's the thought that counts." She breathed out a chuckle that I could feel resonate through me. My eyes closed of their own accord.

"No... we shouldn't pick on Jai, he was only following orders. Just..." She inhaled shakily and buried her face into my neck. "Promise me you'll be here?" It was such a plaintive and un-Annie request that I brought my other hand to stroke her hair and tightened my arm around her.

"I'm here, I'm not going anywhere." _Why on earth would I want to?_ I added to myself as her breath tickled my skin. We stayed like that for a while. It was a strange mixture of pleasure and pain for me. On the one hand, the woman I've been attracted to for a while was pressed up against me, actually _needing_ me. On the other was the knowledge that the only reason she was doing this was because she was filled with thoughts of Jai and Ben. But every time I remembered that unfortunate circumstance I pushed it away, because she was here and she was warm and she smelled fantastic and she was Annie.

Eventually she shifted and, taking that as the cue our prolonged hug was over, I let my arms fall. Refusing to ignore this rare opportunity, however, I tried to surreptitiously map the contours of her body before releasing her completely. Whether she noticed or not, I couldn't say, but her movements stopped. She was hovering over me it seemed, that one hand still resting on my chest. I felt something coming towards my face and flinched a little out of instinct. A moment later, after what could have been hesitation, a soft, small hand ran along my cheek. Instantly relaxing, I leaned into the touch. It was wonderful: she was warm, she was exceptionally gentle, and there was a hint of where she'd wiped at stray tears. It fit everything I knew about Annie: kind, understanding, and resilient.

"Annie." I whispered, relishing this contact that I'd only dreamt of before but never considered a possibility.

"Auggie." She replied simply. Her tone was distinctly different than any I'd heard her use, on or off the field. It was low, rough, and so quiet that I might've missed it had I not been so attuned to her in that moment. It... it was one of the most beautiful sounds I've heard. And one I'd love to hear again.

I moved towards the voice, slowly, never letting her hand fall. Towards the source of the sweet smell and fluttering breaths until I could feel them against my face. I stopped for two reasons: one, it's difficult to accurately gage where lips are on a face you've never felt the lines of; two, I still wasn't sure of what she wanted. For all I knew I'd already crossed the line with my tentative advance.

That thought, and all the others, flew out the window when Annie closed the distance between us.

It's impossible to describe how that kiss made me feel. It was understated, much like her perfume, much like all of her flirting. It was definitely not chaste, but it wasn't frenzied with passion. She tasted like those cinnamon mints she likes, still with an undertone of wine that tingled against my mouth. The hand on my chest slid over my shirt, curling around my neck to pull me closer. The kiss intensified as I poured all this... _want_ into it. I tried to make my arms wrap around her waist as much as I could. Because she was sort of leaning over me, it was difficult for our bodies to connect the way I'd hoped. I could feel that Annie was wearing her long woolen coat and it was open. Slipping my hands inside it, my fingers immediately met with a shock.

She was only wearing silk women's boxers, and further apprehensive exploration revealed the hem of a flimsy tank top. I froze as realization hit.

Annie'd taken Jai home. Annie'd changed into something sexy. Annie'd fought with Jai. Annie'd grabbed only her coat before she left. Annie'd showed up on my doorstep in her underwear. Annie was...

I pulled back, removing my hands from their precarious position.

"We shouldn't." I whispered.

"Why?" She responded matching my volume. This was one of those moments when I most longed for my vision back. To be able to see her face after our first kiss would be an unrivaled gift. I wondered if her lips were red and swollen. Was she flushed? What was her expression? Was she happy, exciting, glowing? Or could she be apologetic, regretful, even angry? I would never know.

"Because..." It was incredibly hard to focus with her fingers twisting in my hair. "You're... so..." She was inching closer again and it was damn distracting. "Perfect."

Somewhere between wild heated kisses and ending up in my bed, I'm pretty sure I told her that she _deserved_ to be seen. "God I want to see you," I think I actually groaned at one point. But Annie... she just told me, "You do Auggie, you know me, that's all I need."

After that I was lost.

I woke up to the sound of my watch's alarm telling me it was 5 am. I turned it off out of habit, still in a daze. Awareness started creeping in, the smell of grapefruit quick on it's heels. I jolted to attention. _This could very well be the second worst mistake I've ever made_, I panicked, shutting my eyes tightly. Her bare arm was draped over my shoulder, and we had somehow (and it was pretty obvious how) ended up tangled in my sheets. I could make out the sweat mixed with her perfume and my detergent.

I should have gotten up right away. But I just couldn't force myself.

She was stirring against me, her breathing shifting out of sleep. I tensed under her as she shuffled closer, revealing very clearly we were both naked. That seemed to wake her as I could feel her lift her head from the pillow.

"Hey." Annie mumbled blearily. It tugged at my heartstrings and for a moment I forgot how wrong this was. I grimaced out what I hoped would pass for a smile.

"Hey." It sounded choked to my ears, but who knew what she would notice in her state. She dropped her head back onto the pillow with a tiny moan.

"What time is it, Auggie?" I cleared my throat.

"5." She must've noticed how short I was being, because she rolled off me. Well, Annie wasn't a NOC for nothing. There was an awkward silence.

"I can make breakfast..."

"Sure." I replied, latching onto the ridiculously domestic way out. She sat up and I could hear her fumbling for what I took to be her clothes on the ground. I was tempted to tell her there was no reason to be modest, it wouldn't make much difference... but I wasn't in a teasing mood. Once her footsteps moved to the kitchen, I practically sprinted to the bathroom. So many frantic thoughts were brewing in my mind that I barely noticed that I was sitting in my shower. I simply let the cold water flow over me.

We ruined our relationship. Our work in the field would never be the same. I never wanted to put her in jeopardy, but that's what this would inevitably do. Sure, in-house dating was encouraged, but in truth it was a nightmare. Joan was the prime example of the ways it could go wrong. I'd never really had such a solid friendship with a woman, practically with anyone after the accident, as I had with Annie. To lose that would be...

I didn't do long-term things much anymore. The fact that I was blind always seemed to isolate me. Yes, there were plenty of girls who were interested in me, but they were more enamored with the idea of a guy who wouldn't judge them than being with me. It always felt fake. That I could have found a woman who liked me regardless of my disability was hard to imagine.

But maybe I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe this would be a onetime thing to be moved on from and never brought up again. Maybe all it was was a friend falling into bed with someone she had no attraction to just because she was upset and needed comfort. God knows people have done it for less.

That was probably it. I was overreacting to this whole thing. It was for the better really. I wouldn't do well in a relationship where I was more invested than her. I took a deep breath trying to make myself okay with that conclusion. My head banged the tile lightly as I let it out. It hadn't worked.

"Auggie?" Her voice carried loudly enough to be heard through the door and the shower, but still with an air of timidity. I started, shutting off the water quickly. "Food's ready!" Annie added. I pulled myself up, throwing on boxers and a robe I didn't use much. Opening the door, a short intake of breath told me she'd been waiting for me. We stood and scrutinized each other quietly, her with her eyes and me with my ears.

"I made omelets." She said to break the ice. I swallowed.

"I hadn't pegged you as the cooking type." Things seemed to warm from there. At least I was using full sentences again.

"Yeah, that's usually my sister's job, but I do have to know enough to take care of the girls, so I know enough." I thought about asking her if she'd understood how everything worked (my appliances were apparently more complicated for the sighted), but I was skittish about bringing up anything related to my condition. It was weird, I could usually be so cavalier about it, but now it felt like the elephant in the room. Well... one of them.

"Do you need your cane?" My gaze fell to the floor. Great. The universe lives to make me uncomfortable.

"No... I've got it mapped out well enough." I hesitated. "Uh... after you?"

"Oh!" It seemed she'd just realized we'd been dawdling pointlessly in the same spot for a few excruciating minutes. Her footsteps stuttered before falling into a regular rhythm towards the kitchen. Taking the opportunity to sigh in private, I followed soon after.

Breakfast was uncomfortable to say the least. We barely spoke, and if we did it was only superficial. So it was startling when her fork clattered to the plate.

"Is this how it's going to be from now on?" Annie demanded frustratedly. Her hostility brought my anger back. Like she had any right to be upset. Clenching my jaw, I leaned back in my seat, crossing my arms.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I rolled my head incredulously.

"The next time you show up in the middle of the night, I'd like a little warning. I could even get candles for you." She scoffed and the screech of wood and two thumps indicated she'd pushed her plate away to prop her elbows on the table.

"How dare you!" She hissed. I cocked a condescending eyebrow. "Look, I didn't plan on seducing you or anything! It just happened!" Fantastic. I stood and began to pace, running my hand along the bare wall. Annie huffed, throwing her arms up in exasperation (I supposed). "What do you want me to say, Auggie? You want me to apologize, what? Tell me what you want!" I laughed sourly.

"I want to know why, Annie! Why you decided to jump me all of a sudden! I have a pretty good idea, I'm just unclear about which ex you were thinking about. Maybe it was both! All I know is that after a nasty break-up, you show up at my doorstep, the blind best friend who adores you, and you slept with me. Really, if you just wanted an empty screw, I know tons of guys at the agency who'd be giddy at the prospect! But I don't fancy being your rebound."

"Auggie..." There was a note of hurt in her voice but I refused to let that derail my tirade.

"So you see, Annie! What I want wont change anything! We still had sex, and you still don't—" I was cut off by pain in my toes. "Dammit!" Apparently in my anger I'd gotten careless and banged my foot against the wall. It was such a rookie mistake! She scrambled out of the chair and soon her hands were gingerly holding my arm.

"Are you okay? Be careful!" Her concern was enough to make me thoroughly chagrined.

"I'm fine... except for the obvious." Annie sighed (we both seemed to be doing that a lot recently) and her grip tightened.

"Good... now are you ready to listen to me?" I nodded and pinched the bridge of my nose. I could feel a headache coming on. "Alright. First off, I'm sorry you think I would treat you that way, because I wouldn't. I care too much about you to think of last night as cheap. I came to you because I was hurt and confused and you have always been there when I needed you. Even when I could see it upset you. But..." She paused and I braced myself for whatever was coming. Her hands moved to my shoulders. "...It... changed... when you..." A groan sounded from around my shoulder as she ducked her head. "Auggie, I'm no good at this anymore. After everything, I— I can't say it."

Instead, she pressed her lips against mine in a short but undeniably sweet gesture. Kissing Annie seemed to make me go weak every time. She tasted like sleep and egg and smelled like my bed and it was sexier than anything any other woman had ever managed. She exhaled shakily over my mouth and I resisted the urge to kiss her again.

"Secondly..." She tried to collect her thoughts. It was thrilling how I could make her breathy and off-kilter. "I don't know where that little speech came from. If that was your way of trying to get out before it began, you could have been more direct. It would have saved you and me some pain." That made me feel guilty. Her voice lowered shyly, revealing that lesser known vulnerable side I'd started to see more and more of. "I thought you wanted it too. Last night... when we were.. you... you said..." I didn't want to hear what I might've revealed in the heat of the moment. There were so many dangerous possibilities. Rather than listen to her struggle I carefully raised my hand to her face. My finger tip skimmed the bottom of her lip. This time I started it. And it rocked.

We parted several minutes later, leaning with my back against the wall, holding her to me desperately. Our foreheads touched as we breathed heavily together. I could almost taste Annie's smile.

"Where do we go from here?" I asked boldly, rubbing light circles under her jaw. For the first time since this, our most wild adventure, began, I could hear the upbeat and confident Annie Walker I'd always loved.

"Well... It's almost six, and we do have to work today." She punctuated this unpleasant thought with another searing kiss. "That means I'll need to drop by my place and change. Which if you think about it is awfully impractical." I smirked.

"Is it now?" As she nodded strands of her hair tickled my neck. She'd shifted closer, a near impossible feat.

"Oh yes. Think of all the wonderful—" A quick peck. "—Amazing—" Another. "—Mind-blowing—" I held on longer this time before she could escape. "—Things we could be doing if I had some clothes here." She said it so non-chalantly I had to laugh. It was the most perfect way I could picture her propositioning me.

"I love the way you think, Agent Walker." Her hand came up to stroke the length of my face, and this time I didn't flinch.

"That's not all is it." It wasn't even a question. I pulled her in for another kiss, whispering as I pulled away:

"Definitely not."

**Okay, this oneshot kind of got out of hand. It was just an idea I had that I needed to write out. It evolved into something different though. Please let me know if the scenario seems reasonable and if I kept these wonderful people in character!**


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